Greatness Through Osmosis

Tonight I attended a Kodo concert, thanks to the wonderful generosity of Janet who let me tag along, and someone named Yumi, who provided the comps. When I was first starting to get to know this concept of "taiko," there was Kodo. I used to listen to my Best Of CD all the time. Tonight they performed all the classics like Yatai and Miyake, and of course, the always awe-inspiring O-Daiko. They also performed Monochrome, and though that was always the song I skipped through when I was listening to the CD, tonight I think I discovered a new-found appreciation for the song. The technical prowess it takes to perform the song--the concentration, the ability to sinc in with the group, to know where you are in the piece of music, and of course, the sheer ability to play a shime that fast, and that accurately, well I was really impressed.

After the concert Janet asked me what I thought, and this time, I had a million questions, only a couple of which I was able to even ask. My first being, How did they get that drum over here? And, Do the women get to play in the big pieces? And What kind of bachi are they using in Monochrome? And, Did you see how tight those shime were? I know I was being a complete naivete, or whatever that French word is, but hot-damn, people, KODO!! You may have heard it all, you may seen it all, but when faced with just how good Kodo are when they play, well, it can almost be a little disenheartening. I was kind of thinking to myself, What the heck am I doing trying to play these taiko drums when there are people out there playing them so well, so perfectly, with such heart and stamina and passion? What am I doing pounding those things with what I think is all-my-heart when there are people out there doing it so much better? But I can't let that get me down. Yes, of course, they are some of the best out there. And no, I will never even have as much talent as they have in the little finger of their left (or right) hands, or even in the hairs of their big toes, but it inspires me. I mean I was listening to their solos, and they were big and impressive, but not quite as complicated as I think a solo should be when I'm struggling to compose solos. Something to think about. Janet likes groovy (which I am only beginning to understand--what is that--groovy?) but I can see that there are different ways to play. Different styles. Different influences. I think that as American taiko players we are so at ease with incorporating different rhythms and sounds and influences from around the world--because, as much as I hate sounding patriotic or whatever, that's what American music is--a meld of everything around us. I always hold back on my solos because I think they're so plain and been-there-done-that, yet I was impressed tonight because I realized that a large part of performing a solo is not in the content, but in the delivery.